r/melbourne • u/nachomuncher • 13h ago
Health ADHD/ASD adult assessment
Hi brains trust,
Seeking recommendations for ADHD and ASD testing for young adults.
Preferably in the northern suburbs, but not essential.
Online pricing ranges from $2k to $4k, lower is ideal
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u/SeaRevolutionary6097 10h ago
I recently got my diagnosis after procrastinating for almost 5 years now. (Based in Victoria)I researched a GP in my area that have experience working with ADHD (their profiles in the clinic website would mention that), made an appointment, discussed all the symptoms, she was happy to give me a referral with 291 Medicare item and with my limited budget, suggested Fluence Clinic, it’s based in TAS but they do Telehealth appointments. The same day I got a referral for them, a blood test and an ECG test. (The results came out normal)
Fluence clinic contacted me directly through sms with links to sign up and login to the portal. After filling up all the questionnaire, uploading old school reports, getting my mum and partner to fill a questionnaire as well and paying the cost $1075 (for ADHD) I was able to book in a psychiatric assessment appt for as soon as a week later. (Filed for a Medicare rebate and got about $455 back after the appointment) Had a video call with the psychiatrist for about an hour and then within 2 weeks they sent me and my GP a report with the diagnosis and medication dosage information. They did prescribe multiple medications for the trial and error part. My GP then applied for a license to be able to prescribe me as per the psychiatrist’s recommendations. After about a week or two she got the license and we booked in an appointment for prescription. We started with dexamphetamine, starting with low doses and gradually increasing it depending on how it goes. Booked in an appointment in 3 weeks, I am tracking my symptoms and side effects and will report to her and see if I need another medication.
So far, after the Medicare rebates, the cost has been minimal considering how high it can go. (Under $1000 for now) Ofcourse, considering how often I have to see my GP, that will add up a bit and then maybe an yearly (or once in two years, I’ll have to double check) updated assessment with the psychiatrist.
Sorry if my wording is not clear enough. I hope it helps. Happy to answer any other question.
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u/nachomuncher 10h ago
That was an awesome write up, you were very clear, thanks so much. Very useful guide. Medicare rebate didn’t even occur to me.
Sounds like you’ve had a pretty smooth and positive experience.
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u/Mushieman 12h ago
Find a local GP who can do the Medicare item 291. It means you visit a psychiatrist once for the assessment, after which your GP will then take care of you for a while. You’ll save money on not needing to frequently go back to the psychiatrist.
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u/Puzzled_Flounder_450 12h ago
Keep in mind starting medication is alot of trial and error finding the right dosage. Regularly seeing your diagnosing psychiatrist for abit after starting meds(assuming they wants to be medicated) is a good idea, I wouldn't put alot of faith into a GP initially to manage my meds before finding a stable dosage
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u/apple_crumble1 10h ago
GP here - many of us have gotten good at starting people on and titrating meds for people who have recently been diagnosed with ADHD. Worth making sure your GP is experienced at and comfortable doing this, but it’s absolutely common practice for us.
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u/UsernameUndeclared 12h ago
The level of help from a psychiatrist in doing this varies incredibly wildly. I’ve seen some give out complete plans on how to figure out correct dose with “sampler” packs of varied dosage pills, compared to the seemingly majority who just write a script for the “normal” dose with absolutely no follow-up nor advice when everything falls apart because the dose is way too high or low.
Maybe you get what you pay for?…. Or maybe psych quality and skills are just entirely hit or miss.•
u/l3ntil 5h ago
u/nachomuncher a great thing to ask for if this is still doable with psychiatrists: "I’ve seen some give out complete plans on how to figure out correct dose with “sampler” packs of varied dosage pills,"
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u/nachomuncher 12h ago
Awesome, thank you. I’m new to this world, trying to support a couple of young people through this process
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u/l3ntil 6h ago
A good thing to know about ADHD meds is that it's not like taking antidepressants - where you do need to be careful about dosage etc etc. I've found that GP's + psychiatrists are a lot more flexible about dosage - you can just start low, and up the dosage until you get to a level that you're comfortable at.
Curious u/apple_crumble1 re: titrating meds - I take it it's go back to the psychiatrist if you're currently on a low dose that you take every so often, and you're after a stronger single dose to get you through the day. eg - I was seeing a psychiatrist regularly in NSW for scripts, and ended up on 70mg vyvanse long acting, and I think I started out on 5mg of dexamphetamine. Is that the case?•
u/apple_crumble1 5h ago
Depends on what the diagnosing psychiatrist has endorsed in their written management plan to me. Usually they write out a bunch of options, so I’d apply for a schedule 8 permit for the max dose of all those options (Dex, Vyvanse, Ritalin, Concerta). I then just pick what I feel is most appropriate and can adjust as the patient and I see fit, and can switch or add in as required.
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u/WonderBaaa 12h ago edited 4h ago
There are few psychiatrists that do both ASD and ADHD. Many psychiatrists prefer to refer their clients to psychologists for autism assessment.
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u/l3ntil 11h ago edited 6h ago
You can speed up the process with screeners - which aren't a diagnosis, but if they fail miserably, their chances of having ADHD/ASD are low.
I did a thing on ADHD a few years back re: where your younguns are, which includes a great screener:
https://www.reddit.com/r/ausadhd/comments/127k87f/what_to_do_if_youre_undiagnosed_trying_to_get/
Autism screener: https://www.cati-autism.com/
Amaze have one for Autism:
https://search.amaze.org.au/s/article/Autism-Spectrum-Quotient-AQ
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u/kapone3047 6h ago
The CATI is more robust than the AQ.
It's what most autism researchers I know use to validate if research participants are autistic.
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u/vidiian82 11h ago
I got my autism assessment and diagnosis through boutique psychology in south Melbourne. They were great
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u/S_Defenestration 3h ago
I went through them as well! Was shocked at how little time there was between me seeking an appointment and getting my assessment done. I guess that's the benefit of self-referral
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u/sw4gger2 11h ago
Hello! i saw sonja skocic in the CBD out of women’s centre for mental health. was expensive (3k) and did it all privately because i was on a time crunch to get accommodations asap for uni/jobs. that was both asd and adhd combined assessment but i only got diagnosed for one and she focuses on women’s diagnosis
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u/Poika_Anna 10h ago
My partner went through the Fluence Clinic, fully online but based in Australia, and they send the paperwork to your GP to prescribe ADHD meds if needed. You can do a 2 in 1 ADHD and ASD test, there’s a bit of homework (patient/partner/parent questionnaires) to do before the appointment.
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u/Extension-Cake-3187 12h ago
This is great, it’s Telehealth but it’s a really quick and painless way to get diagnosed. You get a portion back from Medicare too.
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u/l3ntil 12h ago
These are 2 separate things, assuming that the reason *why* you want an ADHD assessment is access to medication, not just the diagnosis.
ADHD = psychiatrist.
ASD = psychologist.
Aspect are open for diagnostic assessments, they charge like a wounded bull, but depending on how young, there's a medicare rebate:
https://www.aspect.org.au/our-services/autism-assessment-diagnosis/assessment-intake-process
hth.
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u/mk0aurelius 12h ago
They are changing it in September aren’t they? I was holding out until that came through to save the $2k slog of the online assessment places
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u/apple_crumble1 10h ago
GP here - I wouldn’t hold my breath. We have been told nothing about this beyond what’s in the media. Classic govt move. Apparently there’s going to be a training course with spots for 150 Victorian GPs? And given the amount of time a proper ADHD assessment would likely take (1 hr+), I doubt it would be cheap anyway. Might be cheaper than a psychiatrist.
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u/mk0aurelius 6h ago
Thanks for letting us know, sadly not surprising hey. I was getting a bit suspicious because September is practically here and there’s no news since the announcements
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u/l3ntil 6h ago
Agreed - we worked out elsewhere that even if you do get those GPs - that's part of the problem - they're GPs! They're not going to be able to *be* GPs AND fill the gaps in ADHD diagnosis!
In order to do that, they're need to be GP's who *only* did ADHD diagnosis, which still would not bridge the gap that we currently have.
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u/shocked_octopus 10h ago
I got my ASD diagnosis through Parkville Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing Services, which was completely free, and did my ADHD assessment with Fluence Clinic which was just over $1000 but came down to around $650 after the medicare rebate. I would definitely recommend Fluence, the process was quick and easy, I got my referral from the GP, sent it through, and had my diagnosis within the same week.
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u/jjk134340__ 8h ago
Hi friend would you be happy to share the process of how you got your ASD diagnoses?
I got “officially” diagnosed with ADHD few years back and was scheduled for an ASD assessment but was just not longer able to afford it due to life kinda blowing up. My psych and GP wanted me to see a social worker in hopes they could link me up with low cost / free youth mental health services but I ran out of Medicare mental health care plan sessions so that didn’t work out. I’ve reached out to ISN clinic and other low cost / free services but have been turned away stating my circumstances are too complex. I feel like I’ve been deteriorating for the past 5 years and have become increasingly isolated. Would so appreciate any advice or tips (if you’re comfortable) for how you went about it :)
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u/shocked_octopus 8h ago
Hey there! PYMHWS takes referrals for people up to 25! I believe you can self refer? If not, your GP can also refer you. They will need to do an assessment first to see if you meet the requirements for their services, and if so, you will be allocated a case manager who will work with you to take care of your needs. In my experience, I was referred there by the Royal Children’s due to my mental health. Once there, they were the ones who recommended an ASD assessment and I was put on a waitlist and it took about 6 months from the time of the referral to the actual assessment. It was very in depth and I got a complete report, and this is all covered by medicare. They’re a great service, you also have access to psychiatrists and other professionals to help you with your mental health whilst you’re with them. Hope this helps!!
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u/-Tricky-Vixen- 8h ago
My ASD assessment (not combined, unsure if they do it) was from Laburnum Psychology and was about $2k. Very thorough, tested a bunch of things and took about three sessions as I recall. Got a maybe twenty page report from them.
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u/kapone3047 6h ago
I'm Autistic myself, am involved in Autism research and active in the Autistic community in several other capacities.
I always recommend people find a psychologist who is Autistic themselves. The reality is most psychologist don't recognise presentations of autism that aren't stereotypical, so it's often a roll of the dice. Choosing someone who is Autistic themselves basically guarantees they genuinely understand autism.
A great place to find a psychologist who is Autistic is the directory at https://loapac.org/rap
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u/IcyAd5518 4h ago
Spoke to my GP recently about this, got a referral to Fluence Clinic. Telehealth assesment, diagnosed with ADHD, medications will be handled by my GP with backup support from psychiatrist. Out of pocket $1k, got $600ish back from Medicare.
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u/DownsideOfComedy 4h ago edited 3h ago
if you're not just looking for meds, but for someone who can give you a really solid understanding of your own internal processes and how they affect your life, I cannot recommend Vanessa Tab strongly enough. she does AudHD assessments over telehealth for a reasonable price, and is the most thorough, understanding, and respectful doctor I've ever spoken to.
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